1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electronic still camera and an image signal processing apparatus, and more particularly to an electronic still camera which uses a memory card, and an image signal processing apparatus which comprises a laptop computer which uses the electronic still camera and the memory card, a personal data terminal (PDA), and a host computer such as an electronic notebook.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 49 illustrates an electronic still camera using a conventional memory card, and a laptop computer using the memory card. As shown in FIG. 49, a card slot 2 is formed in the electronic still camera 1. In order to take a picture using the electronic still camera 1, a memory card 3 is inserted into the card slot 2, and image data captured during photographing are recorded in the memory card 3.
In order to store the image data recorded in the memory card in an image file in a laptop computer 4, the memory card 3 is removed from the electronic still camera 1, and the memory card 3 is inserted into the card slot 5 of the laptop computer 4.
In the above-described conventional system, however, the memory card 3 is inserted into the electronic still camera 1 during photographing, and in order to transfer the image data recorded in the memory card 3 to the laptop computer 4, the memory card 3 must be drawn out from the electronic still camera 1 and inserted into the laptop computer 4. During photographing using the electronic still camera 1, the number of photographing is restricted by the capacity of a power source in the camera and the recording capacity of the memory card.
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication Nos. 7-312716, 7-322117 and 8-9215 disclose an electronic still camera which can be used in the same manner as the PC card in which the size and the shape of the connector are standardized. That is, the electronic still camera is composed of a PC card part and image input device. The PC card part is inserted into the card slot of an external information processing unit such as a laptop computer, so that the external information processing equipment can monitor the camera in real time and the external information processing equipment can have access to an image memory in the camera.
The PC card section of the electronic still camera has the same thickness as the PC card, but the image input device including the taking lens is bulky, and the camera as a whole is larger than the PC card.
Thus, the camera is not well-balanced, and it is inconvenient for carrying in a state for being inserted into the external information processing equipment.